With samples of mid-day meal in municipal schools clearing the nutrition levels’ test, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has written to the Delhi Government — nodal agency for the mid-day meal scheme in national Capital — to introduce soya bean in the menu to increase nutrients in the food. Around 90 per cent of the samples of food being served in schools of three municipal corporations failed the nutritional test last year.
The demand to include the soya bean comes in wake food samples lifted from the municipal schools failed in nutrition test — both on count of protein and calorific value - over the last few years. leader of House in South Corporation, Subhash Arya, has written to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to add nutrients in the mid-day meal in order to meet the revised parameters of nutrition on Friday.
In his letter, Arya said earlier, each student was served 100 grams of rice or wheat. Then the 8-12 gram of protein and 350 gram of calorie fixed in the meal served to the children. “However, while the limit of quantity of grains being served has remained same, the protein and calorie level have been increased. Presently, each meal must contain minimum of 12 gram protein and 450 gram calorie,” he said.
The leader of House in South Corporation has asked the Chief Minister to either add Soya bean in the meal, or else reduce the nutritional parameters to the previous levels.
“If the new parameters of protein have to be met, 50 gram soyabean must be added to each meal being served in the schools. Otherwise, the new parameters need to be revoked,” Arya added.